2003 Bluewater Metallic 525iT

[drivinhard]

Very cool color, don't see many of those

[BimmerBreaker]

Very cool color, don't see many of those

Yeah, it's really nice. Shifts between a silver and a light blue color, and looks really nice when the sun hits it just right



Installed the compass mirror today with Danny's help. Had a moment of panic thinking it wasn't working before realizing it just needed calibration (which involved pushing a small button and driving in a few circles). Completely plug and play - autodimming works and now I have compass functionality too! It's the small things...

[johnd15]

Yeah, it's really nice. Shifts between a silver and a light blue color, and looks really nice when the sun hits it just right



Installed the compass mirror today with Danny's help. Had a moment of panic thinking it wasn't working before realizing it just needed calibration (which involved pushing a small button and driving in a few circles). Completely plug and play - autodimming works and now I have compass functionality too! It's the small things...

Where did you find that? Is it plug and play for all models?

[dannyzabolotny]

Where did you find that? Is it plug and play for all models?

They're all over eBay, a lot of the newer BMW's had the same mirror so you've got plenty to choose from. It's plug and play if your car is wired for a self-dimming mirror. Most E39's are pre-wired for that if I remember correctly— Graham's car originally didn't even have a self-dimming mirror but we installed one and it was plug and play. Same with the compass + self-dimming mirror, plug and play as well. All the mirror stuff is self-contained so all it really needs is power.

[johnd15]

They're all over eBay, a lot of the newer BMW's had the same mirror so you've got plenty to choose from. It's plug and play if your car is wired for a self-dimming mirror. Most E39's are pre-wired for that if I remember correctly— Graham's car originally didn't even have a self-dimming mirror but we installed one and it was plug and play. Same with the compass + self-dimming mirror, plug and play as well. All the mirror stuff is self-contained so all it really needs is power.

Ok, thanks for the info! Might have to look into getting one, didn't even realize the existed for the E39's.

[BimmerBreaker]

Technically Im not sure a compass mirror does exist for E39's. This one was from an E90 or an E46, forgot which in particular. BMW mirrors pretty much all interchange, at least for models after the E39. I think soooome E39s uses the older style mirror mount, but thatd be like 97/98 models iirc. Some werr a button mount some are the three prongs (mine is a 3 pronger). Some early E39s also may not be prewired (mines an 03) but if you have autodimming should be good to go. Check for the mirror harness under front of headliner if unsure.

If you have an autodimming mirror now then the compass mirror should be 100% plug and play as long as mirror mounts are the same

[geargrinder]

+1 to all that - agree I don't think a compass mirror exists for E39 and agree there's massive interchangeability across the model lines. My E46 'vert has a 750iL mirror or something.

There's a few little funny things like if you have an E39 w/ homelink in the headliner sunroof-switch area (which most USA cars have) then you generally don't want the homelink+compass mirrors (of which you'll see many if you start looking around...) E46 'vert mirrors have the remote-opening antenna in them so if you swap a non-vert into one you have to do some frankensteining of the guts. But mostly the mirrors all swap around - I think probably E53's are good source for compass mirrors, although many of those also seem to have the HL which I'd not want to 'duplicate'...

[BimmerBreaker]

I think probably E53's are good source for compass mirrors, although many of those also seem to have the HL which I'd not want to 'duplicate'...

You know, I thought that too - but my 4.6is (which was the fully loaded model back in the day) didn't have a compass mirror. Mine has navigation though, so maybe the ones without the nav unit got it?

FWIW I just double checked and my compass mirror came from an E46 323i. I bet with some patience someone could score one in a junkyard, tons of E46's littering the yards near me at least

It's a cool little mod. In a stupid way it makes me want to drive the car more just to see the little compass feature working, even when I already know what direction I'm heading lol...

[BimmerBreaker]

Getting the chrome trims wrapped in gloss black vinyl. Pass side chrome parts are done, driver's side chrome coming up next then the center bits at a later time. Taking a biiiit longer than I thought but at least I have another car to drive in the meantime

[computiNATEor]

Looks great, pretty good match for the wheel color, too

[BimmerBreaker]

Looks great, pretty good match for the wheel color, too

Yeah the brake dust with OEM pads is shameful, but the braking feel is amazing



Got the car back from having the trims wrapped in black vinyl today. Looks much better - think we need to go around and finish some odds and ends (my friend who wrapped em took the trims off and the rear doors at the rear edge aren't sitting perfect on either side). Really improved the look

Also got the clear euro tails in the mail today so went ahead and installed those along with the clear sidemarkers when I picked the car up. I'm not proud of betraying the amber army, but the clears are just the right look on this car. Something about the ambers made the whole car look... muddled, in a way. And low spec as Danny was always happy to point out The clears also help to contrast against the color and really help bring out the blue in the paint

Seems I maaaaay be having troubles with my aux fan again though, so I'm going to look into that in the coming days. When I press max a/c it's like the aux fan doesn't kick on right away, whereas other times it does. Have pulled over a few times to investigate and it just seems to start working seemingly at random. I'll pull over because I'll have the a/c on and aux fan won't be on when it seems it should be (a/c isn't blowing super cold, then aux fan kicks on after I get out and look and a/c starts blowing colder). I jiggle the cables and try to ensure connection is good but usually when it starts working I'm just looking at it so it seems pretty random. Been monitoring the coolant temps though and nothing out of the ordinary and it seems to come on to regulate temps... at least the car doesn't overheat. Maybe I'm just overreacting and sometimes the computer can be a little slow to tell the aux fan on and thats just normal?

[computiNATEor]

IIRC, the DME uses a combination of factors to drive the aux fan, including radiator outlet temp, engine coolant temp (as measured by the coolant sensor in the back of cylinder head under the intake manifold), AC pressures, exterior temperatures...

[geargrinder]

Yeah I think I've given Graham the links to the Aux-fan conditions documentation before... but yeah its basically the list you have there...

[BimmerBreaker]

Yeah I think I've given Graham the links to the Aux-fan conditions documentation before... but yeah its basically the list you have there...

Chyeah you did

I was reading through the link on A/C functionality you gave the other day in this thread but I can't find anything about what the aux fan should be doing in my PWM system with the A/C on. Page 16 describes it coming on with the A/C on on the earlier models. Page 17 describes how it operates in PWM systems and says it'll come in in various conditions, when IHKA tells it to. Page 15 explains IHKA operations on my model, and the only bit about the aux fan reads:
"The IHKA also anticipates the necessary auxiliary fan speed and passes this information on to the ECM via the K-bus."

So - even at MAX A/C, sometimes the aux fan won't come on? Even if the A/C isn't as cold as it would be with the aux fan on?

I'm going to test to see if triggering it on always works correctly in INPA and ISTA before getting too worried... but it just seems like it should be coming on with max a/c on.

[geargrinder]

I'm guessing, but I think the IHKA sends the Aux Fan Request to the DME, which then makes the final call based on all the outputs... i.e. "IHKA calls for 50% PWM based on AC request" then DME says "OK Roger that, but I see the radiator exit temp is already high so according to table XYZ123999 PWM output will be %70..." The earlier ones are obv way simpler with switches and fixed speeds... but the PWM car is SO much nicer to deal with as the Aux can come on at nice low rates most of the time...

I'm with you tho'... indeed wondering if you still have some problem. Keep reading the live values in INPA too though... you should be able to see in digital values if / when the IHKA is calling for fan, and if the DME is calling for fan. I can't recall what values are available that are fan related but even if i did it'd be M62TU based, and the 'read status' screens vary drastically between models... but have a look... maybe there's a DME Read Status that will show you what it is requesting. IF its requesting high fan activation then you know its still wiring related...

[BimmerBreaker]

Yeah I'll do further INPA diagnostics later today. I'll try commanding the fan on and if that works I'll drive around with INPA and see what live readings I get.

It's just weird like one time I'll press Max A/C, a/c is cold but obviously not the coldest it could be. If I turn A/C off then try max a/c again all the sudden its freezing cold...

[dannyzabolotny]

On my 540it the aux fan runs pretty much non-stop, and I don't have a MAX AC button either... so maybe your car is just different from mine, lol. I guess the thing I'd be more concerned with is how cool the AC is, rather than if the aux fan is on all the time.

[BimmerBreaker]

On my 540it the aux fan runs pretty much non-stop, and I don't have a MAX AC button either... so maybe your car is just different from mine, lol. I guess the thing I'd be more concerned with is how cool the AC is, rather than if the aux fan is on all the time.

Yours is a resistor based fan though, mine is PWM. So yeah - yours is supposed to be on any time the A/C is on.
I can't find anything saying specifically that mine *should* be on anytime A/C is on though. But its just odd because I notice the A/C not blowing super cold, pull over, aux fan isn't on... I basically just look at the fan with a disappointed look on my face and eventually it starts to work then the A/C gets cold again Coolant temps are always in range and the compressor is on even when aux fan isn't so it's just sort of odd...

[Aubergine]

I'll jump in here since I always seem to have 96 production year E39s. The attachments are all the same from models coming out of the late 80s (3 prong). All US Spec E39s are wired for auto dimming and thus have power for everything. My one E39 has an E90 compass mirror with Homelink buttons. All the mirror needs it power for the functions to work.

The Compass mirror is a dealer retrofit according to RealOEM (the version BimmerBreaker used) but the later ones from E60/E90 models will fit too.

Technically Im not sure a compass mirror does exist for E39's. This one was from an E90 or an E46, forgot which in particular. BMW mirrors pretty much all interchange, at least for models after the E39. I think soooome E39s uses the older style mirror mount, but thatd be like 97/98 models iirc. Some werr a button mount some are the three prongs (mine is a 3 pronger). Some early E39s also may not be prewired (mines an 03) but if you have autodimming should be good to go. Check for the mirror harness under front of headliner if unsure.

If you have an autodimming mirror now then the compass mirror should be 100% plug and play as long as mirror mounts are the same

[BimmerBreaker]

So got the harness set in a way it was working reliably and ziptied it in place... worked perfectly for a bit so figured it was OK and was just getting loose from jiggling. Being ziptied in place should fix it then, right? Nope

Though the good news (for my dignity anyways) is it ended up my solders weren't bad, the harness was bad. I went camping this weekend and on the way up there it go so bad I was pulling over every 5 miles to jiggle the fan harness back into working condition. I would have to like push the wires in from the backside until I heard the A/C compressor kick on (because it detected the fan was working before the fan actually turned on), then the fan would come on.

Luckily I anticipated some sort of trouble and brought enough tools to fix it. Not enough tools to fix it correctly mind you, but....





The fan-side harness also got damaged - the wires were very frayed and just not happy, so that is why I ultimately cut them both off. I couldn't find an easy way to de-pin the harness either so I had to do this hokey method. I just cut the wires, twisted the respective ends together, heat shrinked over em (twice for good measure - those wires carry a decent amount of juice and there was a high chance of rain...) and used a crimp connection on the PWM. I had to use it the incorrect way, as a tie-off basically since it wasn't the right diameter, which is why the end is bent like that. Say what you will but it worked the whole way home no trouble at all

Now that I'm home I'll fix it the proper way. I'm probably going to wire in an X5 harness as I think those style are more reliable

[BimmerBreaker]

Swapped in the steering wheel from my 03 X5 4.6is I'm parting out



I like the lower open spoke style, and the slightly thinner wheel - though this is a bit too thin. Maybe I'll get this one reupholstered slightly thicker

Still haven't fixed my aux fan wiring properly. Deciding if I should just hardwire it in or try my luck with another harness. I will probably just hardwire it in... or may try an X5 wiring harness like I was thinking before. I have my parts car X5 and an old bad X5 fan from a customer car so I could easily make that happen and I do feel the later X5/E46 style harnesses were more reliable.

[Jason5driver]

I like it !

[BimmerBreaker]

I like it !

Thanks!

Recently purchased a 2003 530i as a donor car. Been on the hunt for a tan interior 530i with style 42's since I got the wagon but recently decided if I could get 2 out of the 3 in one car that wouldn't be too bad... after quite a bit more searching I found a 530i with style 42's in Indio that had been sitting for 2 years. So headed out on a 4 hour voyage with Danny to pick it up and here it is



Interior is trashed, body has quite a few issues as well. But the wheels were in good shape. Tires were shot, which the seller informed me of beforehand, so I borrowed some style 32's with good tires from one of Danny's partouts to get her home.



Drove like a champ - had a christmas tree on the dashboard but engine felt good and responsive, had a few check engine lights but only one for a post-cat O2 came back on the drive home. Pulled over to get gas after a long drive and temps started to creep up when pulling over. Discovered a small coolant leak at one of the hoses under the intake manifold which we thought was the issue but decided to just get back on the road and get going. Needless to say, the last 2 hours were much more stressful than the first two...

Got into town and started to notice after coasting for awhile, the temps would creep up. Once it happened while driving I put it in N and revved it and it would immediately drop the temps. Have experienced something similar with a customer car, so I knew that once I got off the highway it was just a matter of putting it in N and keeping the revs up. Got it back home no issue and now shes ready to be parted... few good bits on it... I'm mostly just keeping the wheels, engine and brakes. Oh and of course the 530i badge

Also doing a 525i engine swap at our shop right now so the whole procedure should be pretty recent in our memory

[dannyzabolotny]

Pretty stoked to see the 42's with some fresh rubber next week, and the 3.0L engine will definitely make your 525it a good bit faster. I'd be curious to race the two after the swap and see how it does against my 540it

[computiNATEor]

Sounds like a bad/failing thermostat. Exact same symptoms as my car when the thermostat failed. Coolant temps would creep up in traffic, and revving the engine flowed more water through the partially-opening thermostat and cooled it off.